


Warriors: The Moonlit Murders

by Anonymous



Category: Clue (1985), Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Animal Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Murder, Murder Mystery, Since it's a Warriors AU a few things are changed but it's canon compliant for the most part, Warriors AU, anonymous because i'm a coward, teen and up is to be safe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:01:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23433577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Six cats are asked to gather at an abandoned two-leg place one night under the request of a mysterious host.While there, their revealed host turns up dead, and they are met with a true test of courage as they strive to find out who the murderer is, without being able to trust each other.A Warrior Cats adaptation of Clue (1985)
Relationships: Mr. Green & Colonel Mustard & Mrs. Peacock & Professor Plum & Miss Scarlet & Mrs. White
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Prologue

The year was 1954, rainfall poured down heavy and loud on as well as around an elegant Tudor mansion in New England and the surrounding woods.   
  
The sound of the rain allowed a sleek, dark grey cat to climb over the large gate guarding it and to land on his paws gracefully all without a sound.   
  
However, the two large dogs guarding the mansion saw the scene. They snarled and attempted to violently leap at the cat to tear him to pieces, barking and howling madly. The chains attached to their collars, however, made them stop mere inches away from the cat's face, making him screech in surprise as he raced away, his breaths coming out in panicked gasps.  
  
He made his way towards a window in the front and to the opposite direction of the dogs, that was cracked open slightly. He wriggled his way into the room, the library. He blinked rapidly to get his eyesight used to the sudden bright light and shook the droplets of water out of his fur, all while trying to steady his breathing.   
  
A small, lithe cream tabby and white-furred she-cat turned her attention from taking a look around the mansion in awe, appreciating it's beauty, to bound over to the tom, who now smoothed his soft fur down. The tom glanced his copper eyes into her blue ones. "Is everything ready, Lilyheart? You have your... instructions?" He purred out formally.  
  
Lilyheart nodded politely, she took her place beside him and looked over her fur to do some last-minute grooming. "Yes, Beetlefur."  
  
They both had seemed awkward when they spoke each other's names as if they weren't used to saying them.  
  
Beetlefur nodded. He quickly stood up, padded away out of the opened door and into the kitchen. There was a large, pale brown tabby she-cat who sat on one of the counters. She sharpened her claws on a damp piece of wood brought from the woods, a small yet neat pile of sparrows, mice, voles and other small animals found in the forest next to her.  
  
"Is everything alright, Mouseclaw?" Beetlefur peeped up rather cautiously. Mouseclaw snapped her head up to look at him with luminous amber eyes. She leaped off the counter and landed only a tail-length in front of the tom, her long, newly-sharpened claws still very much unsheathed and bloody from hunting. Beetlefur's eyes widened in surprise, while he stumbled back a few paw steps towards the doorway. "Hunting should be done when it's time." She snapped before she turned away quickly and leaped out of the slightly-cracked-open window facing the woods.  
  
Beetlefur nodded, unsettled although no cat was there to see it, he shook his head and turned away.   
  
Beetlefur made his way back into the room with Lilyheart, who was now resting on top of one of the extravagant bookshelves that lined the room. She gave him a quick nod, which Beetlefur returned, giving her a reassuring smile before he leaped up onto the windowsill, his long tail curled neatly around his paws.  
  
"So, let the night begin then," Beetlefur spoke briefly. Lilyheart didn't respond, however, she only stared at her paws.


	2. Chapter One

Beetlefur's tail began to twitch impatiently. His copper eyes narrowed as he carefully watched the empty thunderpath leading up to the house expectantly. His eyes softened and he let out a relieved sigh once he saw a figure leap out from the bushes and begin to climb the gate.   
  
Beetlefur leaned down to call out of the opening in the window. "Over here!" He called out when the cat landed on the ground.  
  
Lightning struck, revealing the muscular tom's golden tabby pelt, contrasting greatly against the otherwise dark atmosphere and making him known to the dogs, which snarled and leaped at the tom, who yowled in fear.  
  
The tom, however, had luckily heard Beetlefur over the rain and scurried over to just below the window. "Good evening. It is deputy Sunclaw, isn't it?" Beetlefur purred.  
  
The tom, whose breaths now came out in quick gasps, shook his head. "Good evening. That's not my name, my name is deputy-"  
  
"Deputy, tonight you may feel well obliged to my leader for the use of an alias." Sunclaw nodded, his bright, friendly blue eyes shimmered as he leaped up, his sharp claws now unsheathed so he could grip the windowsill more securely and slide into the library. He leaped down and shook the rain off of his fur. He let out a sigh of relief, glad to be out of the rain. He had spent much longer in it than Beetlefur had for sure.  
  
"And who are you?" Sunclaw asked politely, he now sat with his tail tucked in front of his paws, and his long fur soaked, evident by the way it audibly dripped onto the library's floor.  
  
"I'm Beetlefur. I'll be to your assistance tonight, as will Lilyheart."  
  
Sunclaw looked around quizzically for the aforementioned cat. He jumped slightly when Lilyheart leaped down from the bookshelf, onto the velvet armchair and finally bounded towards them. She nodded at Sunclaw.   
  
"As I wait for the other guests, you two may wait at the back. Lilyheart, will you attend to the deputy and give him anything he requires."  
  
He glanced at the two, taking a pause. "Within _reason_ that is."  
  
Lilyheart nodded, she led Sunclaw to the back and began to make conversation with him.  
  
Beetlefur quickly made his way back onto the windowsill, just in time to see a black and white she-cat who sat just below the window waiting, she had been staring at her paws, though her hazelnut brown eyes snapped to make eye contact with his quickly. Beetlefur found it odd that he hadn't heard the dogs bark at her, which made him question if she had come in some other way.  
  
"Do you know who I am?" The she-cat asked in an oddly calm tone, for the harsh weather conditions and the long journey she had most likely faced, as evident from her drenched fur.  
  
"Only that you are to be known as Whitepetal." Beetlefur replied as he stepped back so Whitepetal could enter and shake off her pelt close to where the deputy had previously done so, while delicately lifting her paws as to not get them even wetter.  
  
"Yes... The cat that informed me about this whole gathering said so. But... why?" Whitepetal questioned, though Beetlefur doesn't respond as he instead turned his attention to Sunclaw and Lilyheart, who padded eagerly over to them.  
  
Beetlefur leaped down, although he accidentally landed on Sunclaw's paw and made him stumble back, though Beetlefur didn't acknowledge it. "Ah. May I introduce you? This is Lilyheart, she will be to your assistance tonight, as will I." Lilyheart and Whitepetal both flinched, tensing up. Whitepetal glanced away quickly, as Lilyheart stepped back just as quick. "I see you two know each other." Beetlefur pointed out, although the she-cats didn't react.  
  
As Sunclaw awkwardly stepped forward, he grinned at Whitepetal, who smiled softly back and greeted him with a nod. "Hello." "Hello." The two greeted each other, a much kinder interaction than the one before.

* * *

A red-furred she-cat stopped at the side of the thunderpath to catch her breath. Her paws ached from the thunderpath's rough material and her fur was drenched from the rain. As she heard the roar of thunder she took shelter underneath a tree at the edge of the surrounding woodland reluctantly. She cringed at the feel of the wet grass beneath her paws.  
  
Her ears pricked up at the sound of another cat approaching. She instinctively crouched down and low to the grass, her brown eyes gleamed in anticipation. She was met with a tall and slender brown tabby tom. He looked at her, and their eyes met awkwardly as the she-cat swiftly got to her paws, leaped out from the woodland and continued to walk to her destination, trying to avoid a rather awkward confrontation.  
  
Unfortunately, luck was not on the she-cat's side today as she heard the tom chirp up from behind her. "Would you mind if I join you?" She nodded, albeit reluctantly, and the tom was at her side in an instant.  
  
"Why're you walking so fast?" The tom questioned, his violet-blue eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Er, I'm going to be late for this gathering." She murmured, while she stared straight ahead, though her pace was now calm.  
  
"Me too! Where are you going?" The she-cat decided that the tom seemed nice enough, so she finally turned to look at him and smiled. She put their awkward encounter behind her. "Well, a cat visited me and said it was this..." She hesitated as she took a moment to remember. "big, dark abandoned two-leg place. They said that you couldn't miss it." The tabby tom looked shocked. "The cat visited me too, we must be heading to the same place."  
  
The she-cat had a look of pure shock on her face, her eyes widened. "You're _kidding_."  
  
At that moment, a flash of lightning split the sky and the rain poured down heavier than ever.

* * *

  
A tan tabby she-cat leaped down and gave a friendly smile to the other cats gathered, her fluffy tail waved awkwardly.  
  
"And this is Bluewing." Beetlefur introduced her briefly before turning to Lilyheart, allowing the guests to make conversation and greet the new she-cat. "Lilyheart, will you check that we'll be ready to eat as soon as all of the guests have arrived?" He questioned, as the small she-cat nodded and padded out of the room and towards the kitchen, while Whitepetal watched her carefully.  
  
At that moment, Beetlefur heard the dogs bark and a cat yelp in surprise. "Er, over here!" Beetlefur called loudly, he leaped up and onto the windowsill for what seemed like the one-hundredth time that night.  
  
He saw a tall, lanky tan tom at the bottom of the window, who looked nervously at the dogs. His anxious gaze didn't move, but he began to speak to Beetlefur. "Is this the right address to meet-" Beetlefur suddenly snapped as the dogs broke into a chorus of howling. "Oh, shut up!" He snapped at the dogs and looked down to see the tall tom nodding, his sentence immediately halted.  
  
"Oh, not you. You're Greengaze, aren't you?" The tom nodded, a small smile on his face as he leaped up, shook his fur and began to try and awkwardly make conversation with the other guests.  
  


* * *

  
"It should be just around here." The red-furred she-cat called loudly over the rain as she as well as the tom accompanying her ran through the edge of the woods quickly in an attempt to avoid the rain as it grew heavier by the moment. The tom suddenly stopped, making the she-cat stop as she followed him back onto the thunderpath.  
  
"That must be it." The tom stated, looking straight ahead. The she-cat quickly followed his gaze, and her eyes were met with the sight of exactly what the cat who visited her had described. A large and dark two-leg place that you couldn't ignore. It was the biggest two-leg place she had ever seen and she doubted she'd she another like it again. She suspected the tom thought the same as they took their time to look at it in awe.  
  
An especially bright bolt of lightning struck, illuminating the mansion and giving them a better view. Then, the she-cat turned to the tom after admiring the mansion for a few moments longer.  
  
"... Why have you stopped?" She questioned, her tone suddenly growing impatient as thunder boomed. At that moment she wanted nothing more than to be out of the rain. "... I'm frightened." The tom admitted quietly before they continued.  
  


* * *

  
When the guests, as well as Beetlefur and Lilyheart, saw the lightning crash, making the calm, dim room brighten rather harshly, they all paused to pay attention to it, though they were back to their conversation quickly.  
  
Except for Greengaze, who simply stared out at the window, disturbed as the boom of thunder made his fur stand up in fear. "I hope the others are alright." He murmured, he now seemed quite uneasy and worried.  
  


* * *

  
"StarClan, why did this journey have to be so long anyway?" The tom questioned before he leaped up in fear as two dogs leapt to attack them. He could also hear the she-cat yelp in shock next to him, as she quickly moved closer to him out of instinct. They both sighed in sync as the chains that held the dogs back gleamed in the moonlight,  
  
The tom led the disturbed she-cat to underneath a window where he can hear the voices of multiple cats chatting inside. The she-cat still unnerved from the fright of the dogs, only nodded. The tom attempted to curl his tail around her back, though she only rolled her eyes and shook the tom's tail off.  
  
The tom looked down slightly embarrassed, though he was luckily saved from a rather awkward waiting period by a black cat who jumped onto the windowsill from inside the house to greet them. "Plumpool! And Scarletflower. I didn't realize you were acquainted." He said, his tone surprised though glad to see them.  
  
Scarletflower glanced at Plumpool briefly. "We weren't," Scarletflower said casually before she and Plumpool leaped into the house to meet the others. "I'm Beetlefur, and I will be to your assistance tonight." The tom only introduced himself briefly, as he seemed eager to introduce them to the others. "May I present to you, Plumpool and Scarletflower."


	3. Chapter Two

Beetlefur cleared his throat rather loudly, which made every cat look at him as well as Lilyheart, who had returned.  
  
"Of course, since you've each been addressed by a pseudonym, you'll have realized that nobody here is being addressed by their real name," Beetlefur said much too casually.  
  
At this new information, the guests looked at each other, as well as Beetlefur and Lilyheart, suspiciously. Some moved away from others and some only glanced around.  
  
Beetlefur happened to notice Whitepetal's claws unsheathing in distrust as she stepped back.  
  
Then, a loud yowl came from the kitchen, Mouseclaw's to be exact. At this, Greengaze yelped and stumbled into Bluewing, who fell onto the floor with a grumble. Beetlefur watched the scene, his expression not changed. "Ah. It's time to eat." He said as calmly as ever as he waved his tail, motioning for the guests to begin to follow him.  
  
However, Greengaze stayed behind for a few moments so he could help Bluewing up, who grumbled under her breath out of annoyance. "I'm sorry... I'm a little accident-prone." Greengaze peeped as Bluewing stood up, however, she paid no attention and silently began to follow the others. Greengaze sheepishly followed suit.  
  
The guests entered the dining room one by one behind Beetlefur. "Lilyheart and I will help you find your places to be seated." He spoke.   
  
After only a few moments of silence, all the guests were seated except for Sunclaw, who sat on the floor next to his assigned seat beside Scarletflower. He nodded to the head chair of the table. "Is this for you, Beetlefur?" Beetlefur looked over from his conversation with Lilyheart. He grinned with amusement. "Oh, indeed, no, I'm merely a humble assistant," Beetlefur stated. His tone had still not yet changed from its calm state.  
  
Sunclaw eyed him suspiciously. "And what exactly do you do?" Beetlefur sighed. "I assist, deputy." Sunclaw was still persistent on getting a clear answer, however. "Which means what?" "Well, I am the head of this room and that room. I keep everything tidy, that's all." Beetlefur stated as he nodded in the kitchen's direction.  
  
Sunclaw was about to continue, but he was interrupted when Bluewing began to speak rather loudly. He shook his head and finally took his seat.  
  
"Well, what's all this about, Beetlefur; this gathering?" Bluewing chirped up. Beetlefur padded around the dining room, stopping next to her seat. He only looked up at her for a few moments before he shook his head. "You'll find out... soon." He said ominously. This made most of the guests stare at him, curious and maybe a little unnerved by his secrecy. "And what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Plumpool called to him, though he gave no response.  
  
As Lilyheart set sparrows in front of each of the guests, Sunclaw took this opportunity to continue his interrogation. "So, is the empty seat for our host?" He questioned, his tone suspicious. Beetlefur shook his head. "No, deputy. For the seventh guest, Blackscar." Whitepetal looked shocked as she quickly spoke up. "I thought Blackscar _was_ our host!" The guests all voiced their agreement, now discouraged.  
  
"So who _is_ our host, Beetlefur?" Whitepetal insisted, her newly sharpened claws now unsheathed. However, Beetlefur didn't seem in the least bit bothered as he only chuckled and looked away.  
  
"Well, we should start while it's still fresh." Plumpool insisted. "Oh, now, shouldn't we wait for Blackscar?" Bluewing questioned, hesitant. "I will keep something fresh for him," Lilyheart spoke up. Scarletflower turned to glance in her direction, her long, red tail curling around her paws. "What did you have in mind, dear?" She purred curiously.  
  
Lilyheart didn't answer, and silence fell over the room.  
  
After a few moments of rather awkward silence, Plumpool began to eat, and the other guests followed suit shortly after.   
  
Bluewing looked up from her sparrow and glanced around the room before she spoke rather quickly.  
  
"Well, someone's got to break the ice, and it might as well be me. I mean, I'm used to being a hostess, it's part of my mate's work. And it's always difficult when a group of new friends meet together for the first time, to get acquainted. So I'm perfectly prepared to start. I mean, I-I have absolutely no idea what we're doing here. Or what I'm doing here, or what this place is about, but I am determined to enjoy myself. And I'm very intrigued, and, oh my, this prey's delicious, isn't it?"  
  
The guests all looked up from their prey in shock. Whether that was from how fast she spoke or how much she spoke, or both, nobody was able to tell.  
  
"You say you are used to being a hostess as part of your mate's work?" Whitepetal spoke up politely. Bluewing grinned. "Yes, it's an integral part of your life when you are the mate of a... oh, but then I forgot we're not supposed to say who we really are, though StarClan I don't know why." Sunclaw narrowed his eyes at Bluewing. "Don't you." He murmured.  
  
Greengaze looked up, a wide, sly grin on his face. "I know who you are." He purred out, making Bluewing gasp in shock. Scarletflower turned to him, interested. "Well, aren't you going to tell us?" She questioned.  
  
Bluewing played with her tail nervously. "How do you know who I am?" She spoke anxiously. "I live in the lake clans too." He purred once again.  
  
Plumpool looked up. "Are you a leader's mate?" He questioned. "Yes, I-I am." Bluewing stammered out.  
  
Sunclaw narrowed his eyes. "Well, come on then! Who's your mate?"  
  
At that moment, Beetlefur padded his way into the room from the kitchen. The guests stopped to look at him, as they hardly realized that he left in the first place.   
  
Bluewing turned to look at Whitepetal. "Do you have a mate? What does he do-" Whitepetal tensed up and quickly interrupted. "Nothing!" Bluewing looked shocked as if it was unheard of. She glanced around. " _Nothing_?" Whitepetal exhales rather harshly. "He... just... lies around on his back all day."  
  
Before Bluewing, or anybody else could inquire more, Lilyheart jumped out from the kitchen, and as her paws met the ground, a crash of thunder boomed.  
  
This made Greengaze, as jumpy as ever, yelp and bump into Scarletflower, who fell onto the floor. Greengaze gasped and got onto the ground to dust her off with his tail. "I'm... sorry. I'm afraid I'm a little accident-prone." He apologized, though Scarletflower hissed at him, making Greengaze stumble back. "Ah, watch it." She said, annoyed as she leapt back onto her seat. Greengaze jumped onto his own shortly after.  
  
"Excuse me." Lilyheart purred softly, drawing the guests' attention to her. She began to place some sort of prey in front of the guests, although it wasn't quite clear what it was. The guests began to eat, however, with no questions.  
  
"Mmm! This is one of my favourite meals." Bluewing exclaimed as Beetlefur glanced over at her. "I know." Bluewing ignored the odd statement and turned her attention to Greengaze instead.  
  
"So, what is your role in the lake clans, Greengaze?" Greengaze looked up briefly, but looked back down and gave no answer as he continued to eat small bites. "Come on, what do you do? I mean, how are we to get acquainted if we don't know anything about ourselves?" Bluewing pressured, as Greengaze's tail curled around him self-consciously.  
  
Scarletflower growled. "Perhaps he doesn't _want_ to get acquainted with you!" She snapped at Bluewing, making the older she-cat growl as well, obviously bothered by her statement. "Well, I'm sure I don't know, but if I wasn't trying to keep the conversation going then we would just be sitting here in an embarrassed silence."  
  
Plumpool eyed Bluewing carefully. "Are you afraid of silence, Bluewing?" He questioned casually. "Yes! What? No, why?" Bluewing stumbled over her words in an attempt to answer. "Oh, it just seems to me that you seem to suffer from what we call _pressure of speech_." This statement made Scarletflower look up, her tail twitching.  
  
" _We_?Who's _we_?" Scarletflower asked quickly. "My clan has the medicine cats study both physical and mental health." He stated, although he now looked slightly off.  
  
Whitepetal purred at this new information, her tail curling behind her. "Are you a medicine cat?" Plumpool tensed up at this question as if he'd been dreading it. "I used to be." He admitted. "I don't practice anymore."  
  
Scarletflower smirked. "Practice makes perfect. Ha. I think most toms need a little practice, don't you, Bluewing?" She turned to Bluewing, who looked away and shuffled her paws uncomfortably.  
  
"So what do you do now, Plumpool?" Whitepetal insisted. "Now I work closely with the leaders of the clans-" He was quickly cut off by Sunclaw. "Another cat in the higher ranks, StarClan!" Deputy Sunclaw growled, to the other's amusement. Plumpool rolled his eyes. "No, I work closely with the leaders of the clans of my territory other than my own to give them knowledge of mental health." Bluewing smiled. "Do you have an area of special concern?" Plumpool nodded. "I help advise on young cats' mental health, apprentices, kits and such."  
  
Plumpool now turned his attention to Sunclaw. "What about you, 'deputy Sunclaw'? Are you a real deputy?" Sunclaw nodded proudly, puffing out his chest. "I am." He said seriously.  
  
Scarletflower smirked. "You're not going to mention the coincidence that you also live in the lake clans?" She purred. Sunclaw's tail bristled. "How do you know that? Have we met before?" Scarletflower looked and sounded oddly casual. "I've certainly seen you before. Although you may not have seen me."   
  
Greengaze looked at Scarletflower, interested. "So, Scarletflower, does this mean that you live in the lake clans, too?" Scarletflower nodded and grinned. "Sure do!" She purred proudly before she took another bite of her prey.  
  
Bluewing's eyes widened. "Does anyone here not live in the lake clans?" She asked and Plumpool was quick to answer. "I don't."  
  
Greengaze narrowed his emerald-coloured eyes. "Yes, but you work closely with leaders. That could be considered a role of high power, and the rest of us live in clans run by cats born into high power. Does anyone here not rely on or work closely with cats of high power, one way or another?"   
  
Nobody objected or denied Greengaze's claim, but Sunclaw leaped off his chair and made his way over to Beetlefur, his claws unsheathed and his fur bristled. "Beetlefur, where's our host and why have we been brought here?" Sunclaw demanded, his sharp teeth bared.  
  
It was at that moment that the sound of the guard dogs' aggravated barking split the air and Beetlefur raced in the direction of the library. The cats let silence coat the room as they all listened carefully.  
  
"Over here! Good evening, Blackscar. You are eagerly awaited."


	4. Chapter Three

The tension among the guests could've been struck by a bolt of lightning and gone completely unscathed. The guests listened intently, their ears pricked. They heard the muffled sound of the library's open window closing with a thud. Then, they heard an unfamiliar voice growl.  
  
"You lockin' me in?"  
  
Then, Beetlefur's familiar voice, calm as ever.  
  
"Over my dead body. May I take... that?"  
  
"No, I'll leave it here 'till I need it."  
  
"It contains evidence, I presume?"  
  
As the guests listened to the cats talk back and forth, their patience thinned and they became even tenser as Beetlefur mentioned some sort of 'evidence'.  
  
"Surprises, my friend. That's what it contains- surprises!"   
  
And with that, the conversation ended. The guests tried to look as normal as possible as Beetlefur entered back into the room.  
  
"She-cats and toms, may I present Blackscar." Beetlefur padded away from the doorway, to reveal a heavily scarred black and white tabby tom. His golden eyes were cold and narrowed. He was not as kept together as any of the other cats in the mansion. Far from it, actually. "What are they all doing here?" Blackscar scoffed.  
  
Even Beetlefur didn't look as calm as he did before, though he still managed to look professional. "Eating. Do sit down, Blackscar." He said slowly. He watched Blackscar carefully as he sat down, almost as if waiting for him to strike.  
  
"Thanks," Blackscar replied flatly, though it didn't sound as if he truly meant it.  
  
Lilyheart entered the room. She appeared cautious as she leaped up on Blackscar's chair with a piece of prey, about to serve him before he put his tail up. "Nah, you can take that away, honey."  
  
Lilyheart seemed confused, as did all of the others. It must've been quite a long journey, though Lilyheart nodded and padded away anyways. She now sat beside Beetlefur at the doorway.  
  
Suddenly, Bluewing scowled, unsheathed her claws and scratched at the table. "Look. I demand to know what's going on. Now, why have we all been dragged up to this horrible place?" Bluewing exclaimed in anger.  
  
The guests were relieved when Beetlefur finally began to explain. "Well, I believe we were all visited on the edge of our territory by a cat. The cat who visited me said, 'It will be to your advantage to be present on this date because Blackscar will bring to an end a long-standing confidential and painful liability. They told me the message was from 'a friend'."  
  
Greengaze, who had listened intently, nodded. "I received a similar message on the edge of _my_ territory." He revealed.  
  
It was Scarletflower who spoke next. "So did we, didn't we?" She nodded at Plumpool, who nodded back.  
  
"I also received a message," Blackscar revealed, and it was at that moment that Lilyheart attempted to serve him again. "no thanks, Lilyheart. I just ate." He said the words nonchalantly, but Greengaze's attention shot to him at once.  
  
"Now, how did you know her name?" Greengaze interrogated suspiciously.  
  
"We know each other." Blackscar purred as he rested his tail around Yvette's back. "Don't we, dear?" Lilyheart quickly leaped off the seat and took her place beside Beetlefur again. Though she now shook ever so slightly. The guests watched the whole scene play out uncomfortably. Bluewing scowled at Blackscar.  
  
"Forgive my curiosity, Blackscar, but did the messenger say the same thing to you?" Beetlefur questioned curiously. Blackscar shook his head. "No." He replied. "I see." Beetlefur narrowed his eyes at Blackscar suspiciously before he shook his head and stood up.  
  
"Can I interest any of you in more prey?" Beetlefur offered, though he was met with no response. He gave the guests a few more moments with no response before he began to speak again.  
  
"In that case, may I suggest you all follow me to that room across the hall, at which I believe our unknown host will reveal his intentions." At this, all of the guests jumped off their chairs and began to follow Beetlefur and Lilyheart.


	5. Chapter Four

The guests entered the room and were immediately met with disappointment when they found the room to be empty.  
  
Greengaze sighed heavily and turned to Beetlefur. "Well, there's no one here." He pointed out, seeking answers, though Beetlefur didn't say anything to answer his question. Instead, he nodded to the others. "Please be seated." Beetlefur purred before he hopped up onto the desk and watched the guests take their seats.  
  
"Mind if I sit here?" Scarletflower questioned. She tilted her head at Plumpool, who nodded and tucked his paws in to make room for Scarletflower as she hopped up next to him on the couch.  
  
Beetlefur cleared his throat loudly, which made the other cats turn to him expectantly.  
  
"She-cats and toms, I'm instructed to tell you what you all have in common with each other. Unless you would care to do the honours, Blackscar?" He turned to Blackscar, seated on a large chair near the doorway.  
  
Blackscar narrowed his eyes and his tail lashed slightly against the seat. "Why me? They know who I am?" He questioned suspiciously, though Beetlefur was able to remain calm while the others watched the scene, unnerved.  
  
"I don't think so. You've never identified yourself to them, I believe." He pointed out. He began to turn his attention calmly to address the room, but his attention was turned on Blackscar again when he leaped out of his seat suddenly.   
  
Blackscar growled and unsheathed his claws. "It's a hoax, I suggest we all leave!" Blackscar exclaimed and raced out of the room while the other guests watched in shock.  
  
Beetlefur sprinted after him. "I'm sorry, Blackscar, but you cannot leave this house!" He called and stopped at the front door in front of Blackscar, who glared at him. The rest of the guests had followed Beetlefur in confusion.  
  
"No? Who's gonna stop me?" Blackscar taunted his tone challenging. He flashed his claws threateningly. Blackscar clawed at the doorknob and the door to no avail.  
  
Beetlefur watched, a sort of amused grin on his face. "All of the windows are shut, all the doors are locked." He revealed with a purr of amusement.  
  
Blackscar seethed in anger and leapt in front of Beetlefur and snarled, the two toms merely a whisker length apart. Beetlefur let out a low growl deep in his throat and stepped back, his ears flat against his head.  
  
"This is an outrage! You can't hold us prisoner!" Blackscar screeched.  
  
The other guests murmured and nodded their agreement, some more vocal about it than others, though they were all confused.  
  
"She-cats and toms, please! Return to the room at once. Everything will be explained." Beetlefur stated calmly to the guests, who hesitantly agreed and filed back into the study slowly.  
  
All except Blackscar, who padded slowly past the others, his tail lashing in anger. Beetlefur sighed heavily in annoyance. "You too, Blackscar."  
  
Blackscar grumbled and began to dash towards the other end of the hall and towards a room at the end.  
  
"Other way!" Beetlefur called after him, before realizing that it was no use, and pursued the seething tom quickly.  
  
Beetlefur chased Blackscar into the humid conservatory. Large raindrops raced down the glass. Lightning clashed outside illuminating the two cats, one who remained oddly calm and collected and one who snarled and hissed, his sharp teeth bared.  
  
Blackscar's piercing golden eyes darted around the room before they landed on a potted plant on a table about a tail-length from the window. He smirked and leaped onto the table and positioned his paws to push the plant and break the window.  
  
Beetlefur purred all too calmly and let out a chuckle. Blackscar snapped his attention to him and snarled. " _What?_ "  
  
Beetlefur collected himself, though his whiskers twitched in amusement every few moments. "I'm afraid that you can't get out that way." Blackscar let out a short cackle. "Why not, it's only glass!" He insisted and was mere moments away from acting on his escape plan before a large dog leaped up at the window. The dog's long, sharp teeth were bared and its sharp claws made marks in the glass as it howled.  
  
Blackscar screeched and leapt backwards, falling onto the ground in front of Beetlefur in the process.  
  
Beetlefur laughed and sat down calmly, his tail over his paws neatly. "I believe _that's_ why." He purred softly and looked down at Blackscar.  
  
Blackscar sighed, defeated. He nodded and the two toms padded back to the study.  
  
The guests all looked up in silence as Blackscar and Beetlefur entered the room. They both took their places that they had been in before Blackscar's escape attempt.  
  
There was no need for Beetlefur to clear his throat this time; all attention was already on him. So, Beetlefur got straight to the point.  
  
"She-cats and toms, you all have one thing in common. You're all being blackmailed. For some considerable time, you have all been doing as many favours as you can afford behind your clan's back, and in some cases more than you can afford, to someone who threatens to expose you. And none of you know who's blackmailing you, do you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for not uploading for a while, I didn't have much writing motivation, but I'm back now! I love y'all!!


	6. Chapter Five

The room was only silent for a few moments before Bluewing let out a dramatic gasp and leaped up. "Oh, please! I've never heard anything so ridiculous! I mean, nobody could blackmail me! I've never done anything wrong!" She insisted as the guests all watched her carefully. Scarletflower scoffed and shook her head, which earned a glare from Bluewing.  
  
Beetlefur narrowed his eyes. "Anybody else wish to deny it?" He asked, his tone challenging. He waited for a few moments for a reply, but all he was met with was silence. Bluewing took these few moments to sit back down and smooth her fur.  
  
"Very well. As everyone here is in the same situation, there's no harm in my revealing some details. And my instructions are to do so. Thank you, Lilyheart."  
  
Lilyheart, now dismissed, gave a polite nod to Beetlefur and padded out of the room quickly. Blackscar's golden eyes followed her out carefully.  
  
Whitepetal's ears flicked backwards. "Don't you think you might spare us this humiliation?" Whitepetal pleaded desperately.  
  
Beetlefur frowned and shook his head. "I'm sorry." He apologized. Though, he didn't truly seem like he meant it as he padded over to Plumpool, who watched him warily.  
  
"Plumpoo. You were once a medicine cat studying both mental and physical health, you specialized in helping paranoid and homicidal lunatics suffering from delusions of grandeur." Beetlefur revealed as Plumpool nodded slowly.  
  
"Yes, but now I work closely with my leader among others." At this statement, Beetlefur smirked.  
  
"So your work has not changed. But you're no longer a medicine cat, your rank has been stripped from you." Beetlefur stated, to which Plumpool glared at him while his tail lashed.  
  
Scarletflower let out an interested purr as she curled her tail around her paws. "Why? What'd he do?" She asked while her dark brown eyes gleamed with curiosity. Beetlefur was quick to answer.  
  
"You know what medicine cats aren't allowed to do with their patients?"  
  
Scarletflower smirked. "Yeah?"  
  
"Well, he did."  
  
Plumpool looked utterly humiliated. Scarletflower was oddly amused by this, and Bluewing glared at him in distaste.  
  
"Oh, how disgusting!" She voiced her opinion loudly, which caused Beetlefur to bound over to her side in an instant.  
  
"Are you making moral judgements, Bluewing? How, then, do you justify meeting up with a group of rogues every half-moon or so to plot against your mate?"  
  
Bluewing stepped back in shock. She bared her teeth and hissed, her ears now flattened against her head in anger. "He's corrupt!" She defended herself, though Beetlefur didn't seem too interested.  
  
"Perhaps." Was all Beetlefur had to say before Plumpool suddenly jumped up. "So, you have done something wrong!"  
  
Bluewing's eyes widened. "No, it's a vicious lie!" She desperately scrambled to defend herself, but to everybody, it was obvious that she wasn't getting out of this.  
  
Beetlefur rolled his eyes as Beetlefur cried out her 'innocence' in fear of being judged. "I'm sure we're all glad to hear that." He said, though his tone was flat. "But you've been assisting your blackmailer for over a year now in order to not let that information get out."  
  
"I'll be exiled!" Bluewing proclaimed in fear.  
  
Whitepetal made her way over to Bluewing. "Well, I am willing to believe you. I too am being blackmailed for something I didn't do." Whitepetal comforted Bluewing, to which Greengaze and Sunclaw proclaimed that they were innocent as well.  
  
Meanwhile, Scarletflower chimed in with the opposite. "Not me!" She proclaimed. Beetlefur, as well as all the guests, looked at her in shock. "You're not being blackmailed?" Beetlfur questioned, obviously confused.  
  
"Oh, I'm being blackmailed alright, but I did what I'm being blackmailed for." She said, oddly proud of herself.   
  
Plumpool spoke up, quite interested. "What did you do?" He questioned with a tilt of his head.  
  
"Well, to be perfectly frank, I run a service where I help cats in love from different clans meet up with each other." She purred out.  
  
Plumpool nodded, very invested in every word she said. "Oh, yeah? How do I get something set up?" He asked, to which Scarletflower simply rolled her eyes and turned the other way. She refused to answer, much to Plumpool's disappointment.  
  
Greengaze looked at the scene with a playful grin. "How did you know Sunclaw lives in the lake territories? is he one of your clients?" He asked, to which Sunclaw was quick to defend his honour.  
  
"Certainly _not_!" Sunclaw growled to Greengaze, who rolled his eyes.  
  
"I was asking Scarletflower."  
  
Sunclaw raced over to Scarletflower desperately. "Well, you tell him it's not true."  
  
Scarletflower let out a small chuckle. "It's not true."  
  
Plumpool chimed in. "Is _that_ true?"  
  
Scarletflower sighed. "No, it's not true."  
  
Greengaze jumped up. "Ha-hah! So it is true!"  
  
Beetlefur was next to join in. "A double negative!"  
  
Sunclaw whispered, humiliated, to Scarletflower. "You don't have proof, do you?" He whispered fearfully.  
  
Though unfortunately for Sunclaw, Beetlefur had heard him. "That sounds like a confession to me. In fact, the double negative has lead to proof positive. I'm afraid you gave yourself away."  
  
Sunclaw's ears flattened. "Are you trying to make me look stupid in front of the other guests?" Sunclaw yelled.  
  
"You don't need any help from me, deputy." Beetlefur grumbled.  
  
"That's right!" Sunclaw puffed out his chest proudly before he quickly realized what he had just said. He began to slowly walk away in humiliation as a few of the guests snickered.  
  
"But seriously, I don't get what's so terrible about deputy Sunclaw asking for your help. Most deputies, I find, do." Plumpool said as he attempted to put his tail around Scarletflower, to which she hissed and swiped at his face. "Oh, please!" She growled with disgust. Plumpool stumbled back but, luckily for him, her claws hadn't been out.  
  
Beetlefur ignored the situation between the two and focused the conversation's attention on Sunclaw again, much to his dismay. "But Sunclaw holds a very sensitive position in his clan. And, deputy, you were able to become deputy in the first place without ever having an apprentice." Beetlefur questioned. "No, I didn't, but it was my mommy and daddy's last wishes before they died." He snapped.  
  
Beetlefur looked puzzled, but shook his head and looked over at Whitepetal. "Whitepetal, you've been helping out our friend the blackmailer after your mate died under, shall we say, mysterious circumstances." Scarletflower laughed loudly at this new information.  
  
Whitepetal looked caught off-guard by Scarletflower. "Why is that funny?"  
  
"I see. That's why he was lying on his back. In his grave." Scarletflower grinned widely as Whitepetal hissed.  
  
"I didn't kill him!" She insisted.  
  
Sunclaw tilted his head, puzzled. "Then _why_ are you helping the blackmailer?"  
  
"I don't want a scandal, do I? We had a very humiliating public confrontation, he was deranged... lunatic. He didn't actually seem to like me very much, he had threatened to kill me in public." Whitepetal defended herself.  
  
This caused Scarletflower to speak up. "Why would he want to kill you in public?"  
  
"I think she meant he threatened, in public, to kill her." Beetlefur explained, which earned him a brief nod from Scarletflower.  
  
" _Oh_. And was that his final word on the matter?" Scarletflower purred, extremely interested.  
  
"Being killed is pretty final, wouldn't you say?" Whitepetal growled.  
  
"And yet he was the one who died. Not you, Whitepetal, not you." Beetlefur argued.  
  
Scarletflower decided to join Beetlefur's interrogation. "What did he do?"  
  
Whitepetal looked down at her paws. "He was a camp guard at night, he'd lead patrols during the day." She revealed.  
  
"What was he like?" Scarletflower pressed.  
  
"He was a rather stupidly optimistic tom. I mean, I'm afraid it came as a great shock to him when he died. But he was found dead just outside of camp. His throat was slashed. It was... messy." Whitepetal revealed the details, to which Greengaze, Sunclaw, and Plumpool all shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"I had been out all evening hunting." Whitepetal said.  
  
"Do you miss him?" Scarletflower continued with her interrogation.  
  
Whitepetal shrugged, suddenly no longer bothered by her questions. "Well, it's a matter of life after death. Now that he's dead, I have a life."  
  
"But he was your second mate! Your first mate _also_ disappeared."   
  
Whitepetal smirked. "Well, that was his job. He was a _messenger_ after all." She purred.  
  
"But he never reappeared!" Beetlefur said.  
  
Whitepetal waved her tail dismissively with a small smile. "He wasn't a very good messenger."   
  
Greengaze cleared his throat, which turned the room's attention on him as he stood up. "I have something to say." He paused for a moment and glanced around nervously.  
  
"I'm not going to wait for Beetlefur here to... unmask me. I'm the deputy of my clan, and I'm a homosexual." Greengaze revealed.  
  
Beetlefur's eyes widened, while Bluewing made a sort of clucking noise.  
  
"I feel no personal shame or guilt about this. But I must keep it a secret or I will lose my job on security grounds." Greengaze continued. "...thank you." Greengaze finished and sat back down next to Plumpool, who he smiled at awkwardly.  
  
Plumpool stood up quickly and walked over to Blackscar. "Well, that just leaves Blackscar."   
  
Scarletflower grinned. "What's your little secret?"  
  
Beetlefur's ears pricked up in amusement. " _His_ secret? Oh, hadn't you guessed? He's the one who's blackmailing you all."  
  
Lightning crashed at that very moment.  
  
Blackscar smiled, obviously pleased with himself as all the guests looked at him in anger and shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that I haven't updated in forever!! I had a little bit of writer's block!  
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter anyways! Also, I couldn't quite figure out how to translate Mrs. Peacock's reason for being blackmailed in this story. I'm sorry about that!


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